On the first day, the participants did a treasure hunt in the center of Bitola in order to discover the cultural landmarks and the atmosphere of the city. In the beginning of the sojourn, they also had the opportunity to go to the concert of Duke Bojadziev, a famous Macedonian composer, who was playing in the ancient theater of Heraclea.
One of the main goals of this workcamp was to support local institution, in this case, the primary school Kole Kaninski in Bitola. During 4 sessions, the participants split up into two teams: one team repainted the interior of the school while the other team did gardening and cleaning of the schoolyard. The result of the whole volunteer action was nice freshly painted corridors and several containers’ worth of litter and debris collected. On the last day, the head of the school came to express her gratitude on behalf of the students and their parents. Almost every day, young Macedonians, Germans and French improved their language skills during different intercultural animations. The animations were composed of multiple group activities designed to bridge the language gaps and teach the basics of the three languages, with special emphasis on the Macedonian language.
Last but not least, they discovered the natural heritage of Macedonia during the 9 days. They went hiking in the scenic Natural Park of Pelister and also spent a day in Ohrid. Exploring the cultural heritage of the city and swimming in the lake. Next year, the exchange will continue in Berlin, organized by the Centre Français de Berlin, YMCA Bitola, UCJG Loire and with the support of the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO).
I think this project has potential and has already shown great results. Unlike similar projects the truly impactful activities were performed during the program duration, like the renovation of the school. The language animations have inspired me to learn German in preparation of the next stage, and I have met many people who share my passion for volunteering.
